N01668:39
A sermon wherein is showed, I. That the ministers of the Gospel need, and…A sermon wherein is shewed, I. That the ministers of the Gospel need, and…
A sermon wherein is showed, I. That the ministers of the Gospel need, and ought to desire the prayers of the Lord's people for them. II. That the people of God ought to pray for his ministers. : Preached at Roxbury, October 29. 1718. When Mr. Thomas Walter was ordained a pastor in that church, by his grand-father, Increase Mather. D.D. : [Seven lines of Scripture texts]A sermon wherein is shewed, I. That the ministers of the Gospel need, and ought to desire the prayers of the Lord's people for them. II. That the people of God ought to pray for his ministers. : Preached at Roxbury, October 29. 1718. When Mr. Thomas Walter was ordained a pastor in that church, by his grand-father, Increase Mather. D.D. : [Seven lines of Scripture texts]
Boston: printed by S. Kneeland for J. Edwards, 1718
Title page typeset from the transcription.
Ministers of the Gospel ought to desire the Prayers of the Lord's P… › Application 2: USE II.
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
USE II.
IF the Lord's People should Pray for the Ministers of Christ, they ought to Love them dearly. Then they will Pray for them the more fervently and frequently. Love discovers it self in Prayers and good wishes. A Person whom a Man has an extraordinary Love for, he will Pray for that Person in a singular manner. There was in Thessalonica an Organized Church, a Church furnished with Teaching Officers, concerning whom 'tis said, 1 Thes. 5. 12, 13. ⟨p. 22⟩Know them which labour among you, and are over you in the Lord, and admonish you; and esteem them very highly in love for their works sake. Its difficult to express in English the full emphasis of the Greek. Hyper ek Peristhou, imports Love and Esteem with an Hyperbole. There were some had such love and esteem for the Apostle Paul, as that they had rather dye themselves than that he should dye. Rom. 16. 3. Priscilla and Aquila have for my life laid down their own necks, to whom not only I give thanks, but also all the Churches of the Gentiles. It is related that when the City of Augsburg prayed the Duke of Brunswick that their famous Minister Urbanus Regius might be restored to them, he replied that his whole Kingdom fared the better for that one Man, and he would as soon part with his Eyes as let him go. The Church in Smyrna continued their love to Polycarp, (who is supposed to be the Angel spoken of, Rev. 2. 8.) when he was under decays by reason of a great Old Age. The nearer he was to Heaven, the more loth they were to part with him. When Chrysostom was like to be Silenced, his People Petitioned for his Liberty to Preach, saying it was better the Sun should not shine, than that Chrysostom should not Preach. I plead for no extravagant Applauses. But it must be said, that Faithful Teachers and Pastors, although' it may be they are mean, their Work is honourable, and for their Works sake they are to be esteemed highly in Love.